Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Isabel's Aftermath

Aired September 19, 2003 - 15:10   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CANDY CROWLEY, CNN ANCHOR: The nation's capital is struggling to clean up and dry out a day after the hurricane plowed into the East Coast. At last report, almost one million customers still had no power in the D.C. area. The federal government, major monuments and schools are closed. And flooding remains a serious concern, as the Potomac River reaches high tide again this hour.
South of the city, in Alexandria, Virginia, floodwaters and debris washed across cobblestoned streets. Officials say the storm is to blame for at least 17 deaths, nine of them in Virginia. To the north, in Baltimore, officials are calling this the worst flood in recent memory. Boats are being sent to rescue trapped residents. President Bush remains in Maryland at Camp David.

Now, for more on Isabel's aftermath, we want to go to North Carolina, where the storm first struck.

John Zarrella is on videophone from Edenton -- John.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Candy, Edenton was one of the hardest-hit areas. And it was hit by both wind and water.

You can see behind me the front of this home. And there was a porch here. And the roof of the porch is off to my left. The floor of the porch is somewhere down the street, along with a lot of other things that floated out. They had water that was probably up to my chest right here, the first floor of all these homes that line this beautiful street here the Albemarle Sound actually washed over.

Now, again, this is one of the hardest-hit areas. Much of the damage that they sustained here, downed trees, downed power lines, the water is out. Obviously, the electricity is out. We talked to the mayor a while ago, who said it is going to be very difficult, indeed, to get an idea of how much of this cleanup has to be done, how much has been lost here in Edenton.

There's a 7:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m. curfew in place here, as there are curfews in many towns and cities in North Carolina that were hit by Hurricane Isabel yesterday. Unfortunately, here as well, one of the fatalities occurred in North Carolina, occurred here in Edenton when a young woman was pulling into the driveway in her car and a tree fell on top of her car and crushed her.

We are told that her baby and friend got out of the car all right, but that this woman was killed, so, again, one of the fatalities here. People are coping with this well. They're helping other neighbors. That's what you get after a hurricane, a lot of helping hands, everyone coming together here, chainsaws, digging out. So they're getting through.

A lot of smiles on people's faces, despite a very, very difficult situation that they endured and will continue to endure upwards of maybe 10 days to two weeks perhaps without power expected in Edenton -- Candy.

CROWLEY: Thanks so much, John Zarrella, standing in the wake of Isabel in Edenton, North Carolina.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired September 19, 2003 - 15:10   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN ANCHOR: The nation's capital is struggling to clean up and dry out a day after the hurricane plowed into the East Coast. At last report, almost one million customers still had no power in the D.C. area. The federal government, major monuments and schools are closed. And flooding remains a serious concern, as the Potomac River reaches high tide again this hour.
South of the city, in Alexandria, Virginia, floodwaters and debris washed across cobblestoned streets. Officials say the storm is to blame for at least 17 deaths, nine of them in Virginia. To the north, in Baltimore, officials are calling this the worst flood in recent memory. Boats are being sent to rescue trapped residents. President Bush remains in Maryland at Camp David.

Now, for more on Isabel's aftermath, we want to go to North Carolina, where the storm first struck.

John Zarrella is on videophone from Edenton -- John.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Candy, Edenton was one of the hardest-hit areas. And it was hit by both wind and water.

You can see behind me the front of this home. And there was a porch here. And the roof of the porch is off to my left. The floor of the porch is somewhere down the street, along with a lot of other things that floated out. They had water that was probably up to my chest right here, the first floor of all these homes that line this beautiful street here the Albemarle Sound actually washed over.

Now, again, this is one of the hardest-hit areas. Much of the damage that they sustained here, downed trees, downed power lines, the water is out. Obviously, the electricity is out. We talked to the mayor a while ago, who said it is going to be very difficult, indeed, to get an idea of how much of this cleanup has to be done, how much has been lost here in Edenton.

There's a 7:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m. curfew in place here, as there are curfews in many towns and cities in North Carolina that were hit by Hurricane Isabel yesterday. Unfortunately, here as well, one of the fatalities occurred in North Carolina, occurred here in Edenton when a young woman was pulling into the driveway in her car and a tree fell on top of her car and crushed her.

We are told that her baby and friend got out of the car all right, but that this woman was killed, so, again, one of the fatalities here. People are coping with this well. They're helping other neighbors. That's what you get after a hurricane, a lot of helping hands, everyone coming together here, chainsaws, digging out. So they're getting through.

A lot of smiles on people's faces, despite a very, very difficult situation that they endured and will continue to endure upwards of maybe 10 days to two weeks perhaps without power expected in Edenton -- Candy.

CROWLEY: Thanks so much, John Zarrella, standing in the wake of Isabel in Edenton, North Carolina.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com